The compartment examinations for Classes 10 and 12 beginning next week will not be cancelled, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said amid demands for cancellation of the exams due to COVID-19 risks. In conversation with India TV, Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj, the Controller of Examinations, said the exams cannot be scrapped off because cancellation of these examinations would mean elimination of the opportunity for those students who wish to appear. The compartment examination for the two classes will begin from September 22 and will conclude on September 29.
No cancellation -- Conduct of Compartment exams necessary
Elaborating further, Dr. Bhardwaj said that the board provides three chances of appearing in Compartment to Class 10 and Class 12 students in addition to the Main examination. "If any candidate is not willing to avail the first chance of Compartment scheduled in September 2020 because of any reasons, they may avail the second or third chance of Compartment. The conduct of Compartment exams is necessary for the students who wish to appear and avail the first chance of Compartment. Accordingly, Compartment exams cannot be cancelled as this will eliminate the opportunity of appearing in Compartment exam for the students who wish to do so," he told India TV.
Conduct of JEE, NEET exams 'exemplars'
The CBSE exam controller further cited the conduct of JEE Main and NEET exams as exemplars in this regard. "Recently NTA successfully conducted JEE Main and NEET exam in which about 15.5 lakh candidates appeared. NEET was conducted in a single day. Compartment exams will be conducted for seven days in which only a few hundred students will be appearing from about 1,268 exam centres in India and abroad. The maximum number of candidates who would be appearing in Compartment exam in a single day would be about 70,000 across India and abroad. Also, there are more than 500 centres where 1-10 candidates will be appearing," Dr. Bhardwaj told India TV.
Confident of holding exams safely
Taking note of students' concerns regarding safety amid COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj said that the CBSE has made all adequate arrangements and issued health guidelines to all exam centres. He said the board has also conducted virtual meetings with representatives of all exam centres to sensitise them about the safe conduct of the examinations. "These schools were centres for NEET exams, same schools are now being used for holding Compartment exams. We are very confident that we would be able to hold the exams very safely," he said.
Urge students, parents to follow social distancing norms
The CBSE Exam Controller also urged the students and parents to follow social distancing norms and wear masks everytime. "To ensure that the instructions of social distancing are also adhered to by the students and parents, CBSE has sent a letter to all the candidates appearing in the exams and their parents to guide their ward to follow the guidelines issued by the CBSE for the safe conduct of exams. We expect and hope that the parents and students' community will come forward and help in the safe conduct of the exams by following the instructions," he said.
Higher learning institutions finalising schedule in line with CBSE Compartment exams result declaration
Addressing concerns of students regarding college admissions, Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj said most of the institutions of higher learning had been making their admission schedule with the schedule of result declaration of the CBSE Compartment exams. "There are a few students who are saying that Compartment exam beginning next week will deny them an opportunity to seek admission in higher educational institutions and thus their demand is that the exams should not be conducted. This is a contradictory statement. Not only CBSE but the entire Government of India is fully equipped and sensitive to take care of the students. Most of the institutions of higher learning are therefore making their admission schedule with the schedule of result declaration of CBSE Compartment exams. In addition to this, CBSE has already requested concerned organisations/universities concerned to consider the candidature of the students based on their merit and declaration of the results of the Compartment exams. As far as CBSE is concerned, we are not leaving any stone unturned to take care of the future of even a single student."
No more requests for change in exam centres
Dr. Bhardwaj said the requests for change in exam centres received till Thursday afternoon had been taken into consideration for needful action. "While the request of change in exam centres has to be taken care of by the CBSE, many arrangements also need to be completed like the availability of requisite number of question papers etc. As only a few days are left for the exams to kickstart, making foolproof arrangements is a herculian task as no risk can be taken as far as sensitivity and security of exams is concerned," Dr. Sanjay Bhardwaj, the Controller of Examinations, CBSE, told India TV.
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